Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Balancing the benefits and harms of alcohol in UK society

Published: 14 June, 2024

James Bayley assesses the duality of the effects of alcohol consumption.

Scotland’s tidal wave of challenges

Published: 10 February, 2023

From the Deposit Return Scheme to a new consultation paper on restricting alcohol advertising, the Scottish drinks industry faces a barrage of problems. James Bayley reports.

Calls for Northern Ireland MUP to create a ‘level playing field’

Published: 16 August, 2022

Northern Ireland appears to be inching closer to the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol after neighbours Republic of Ireland and Scotland introduced the legislation in January 2022 and May 2018, respectively.

Portman Group pushes back against claims made in alcohol hospital admissions report

Published: 26 July, 2022

Two new studies from the University of Sheffield and the Institute of Alcohol Studies/HealthLumen have revealed the impact of pandemic-related changes in alcohol consumption on health outcomes.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Lessons from the Tory leadership – are we heading into disaster?

Published: 21 July, 2022

Oh dear, perhaps it was always too much to hope for. The embarrassment of the country being led by a self-serving clown has finally timed out, but the opportunity for serious politics to be rehabilitated looks certain to be missed.

Labelling warning: how cigarette-style labels could affect alcohol

Published: 11 May, 2022

For 20 years, graphic warnings have been emblazoned on cigarette packets in the UK, warning consumers of the health risks associated with tobacco. A couple of decades later and alcohol might be subjected to similar labelling, potentially dissuading young people from buying beer, wine and spirits in the future.

Guy Woodward: Wine's 'social experts'

Published: 10 May, 2022

“The people of this country have had enough of experts,” said Brexit cheerleader Michael Gove in the lead-up to that fateful vote. Disdaining the leaders of the US, China, India, Australia and every EU country, as well as the heads of the Bank of England, the IMF, IFS, CBI and the NHS – all of whom he branded as “distant” and “elitist” – Gove argued that fans of Brexit knew best when it came to the economy.

Winner unveiled for AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year award.

Published: 04 November, 2021

Sally Abé has been selected as the winner of this year’s AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year award.

Late-night sector reacts to passport ‘shambles’ in Scotland

Published: 04 October, 2021

The Scottish late-night sector has labelled the introduction of Covid passports, which came into force on Friday 1 October, as a “shambles”.

Business failures and job losses loom with Welsh Covid passports

Published: 20 September, 2021

The introduction of Covid-19 passports for venues in Wales will be an extra burden that could bring business failures before the end of the year, industry bodies have warned.

Hospitality sector remains in ‘fragile state’

Published: 15 September, 2021

Following the UK government's unveiling of its strategy for managing Covid-19 during the autumn and winter months, UK Hospitality (UKH) chief executive Kate Nicholls has issued a stark warning about the importance of allowing businesses to remain open.

‘Pingdemic’ brings more pain

Published: 09 August, 2021

Pandemic restrictions may have been lifted, but for hospitality businesses desperate to welcome punters back, a new challenge is thwarting their ambitions. Lisa Riley reports

Industry welcomes NHS Covid-19 app changes to ease ‘pingdemic’

Published: 03 August, 2021

Trade associations have welcomed news that the Government is to update the NHS Covid-19 app to reduce the numbers of people being forced to self-isolate.

Clubs hit back over Covid passports

Published: 20 July, 2021

The late-night sector has reacted with anger over the introduction of mandatory Covid passports from September, with Michael Kill of the Night Time Industries Association, branding it “an absolute shambles”.

Profile: John Timothy, The Portman Group

Published: 14 October, 2020

Health rose to the top of the agenda at the beginning of 2020 in a way we’ve never seen before. Jo Gilbert speaks to the face of alcohol responsibility in the UK about meeting this challenge

Portman Group rebuts Royal College of Psychiatrists report

Published: 16 September, 2020

The Portman Group has hit back at a report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists which sparked widespread alarm at the impact of Covid-19 on alcohol consumption.

Portman Group hits back at ‘radical’ report's suggestions, including MUP for England

Published: 14 September, 2020

The Portman Group has hit back at a new report which recommends the introduction of several ‘radical’ new measures for combating alcohol harm in the UK.

Chivas chief slams Scots govt for whisky sector lockdown failure

Published: 03 September, 2020

The Scottish government failed to support the Scottish whisky industry at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jean-Christophe Coutures, the chairman and chief executive of Chivas Brothers, has said.

Portman Group labels Drinking in the Dark report “utter nonsense”

Published: 26 August, 2020

The Portman Group has issued a strong rebuttal to a new report from the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) which calls alcohol labelling in the UK “inadequate”.

Jerry Lockspeiser: What happens next?

Published: 26 August, 2020

One of the many reasons people like working in the wine trade is the sense of common bond. Trade outsiders may doubt how friendly people who are direct competitors can really be. But they often are. People can’t help liking and respecting each other. The bonhomie that wine engenders helps, as does admiration for the labour, love, and sheer dedication of those who make the stuff. From producers to distributors, retailers, and communicators, an unstated feeling of shared mission is in the air. Now, too, the trenches spirit that comes with having backs against the wall.